This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your Protected Health Information (from this point on referred to as PHI) to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations for other purposes. It also describes your rights to access and control your PHI. PHI is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related healthcare services.
Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information: Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your physician, our office staff, and others outside of our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing healthcare services to you, to pay your healthcare bills, to support the operation of the physician's practice, and any other use required by law.
Treatment: We will use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare with a third party. For example: we would disclose your PHI, as necessary, to a home health agency that provides care to you or to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you.
Payment: Your PHI will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your healthcare services. This may include collections agencies.
Healthcare Operations: We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI in order to support the business activities of your physician's practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of students, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example: we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name. We may also call you by name in the waiting room when your physician is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your PHI, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment.
We may use or disclose your PHI in the following situations without your authorization:
- As Required by Law
- Food & Drug Administration Requirements
- Organ Donation
- Workers' Compensation
- Public Health Issues
- Legal Proceedings
- Research
- Inmates
- Criminal Activity
- Communicable Diseases
- Law Enforcement
- Required Uses
- Health Oversight
- Coroners
- Military Activity
- Required Disclosures
- Abuse or Neglect
- Funeral Directors
- National Security
- Under the law we must make disclosures to you and when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of Section 164.500.
Other Permitted & Required Uses & Disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization, or opportunity unless required by law.
You have the right to inspect & copy your PHI: Under federal law, you may not inspect or copy the following records: psychotherapy notes, information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, and PHI that is subject to law that prohibits access to PHI.
You have the right to request a restriction of your PHI: This means you may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your PHI for the purposes of treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. You may also request that any part of your PHI not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Your request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restrictions to apply. Your physician is not required to agree to a restriction that you may request. If a physician believes it is in your best interest to permit use and disclosure of your PHI, your PHI will not be restricted. You then have the right to use another healthcare professional.
You have the right to obtain a copy of this notice from us, upon request, even if you have agreed to accept this notice alternatively, i.e. electronically.
You may have the right to have your physician amend your PHI: If we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us. We may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy of any such rebuttal.
You have the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures we have made, if any, of your PHI.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and will inform you by mail of any changes. You then have the right to objector withdraw as provided in this notice.
Complaints: You may complain to us or the Secretary of Health & Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of and provide individuals with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. Your signature below is an acknowledgment that you have received this Notice of Privacy Practices.